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Where an organisation or individual is aware of unfair discrimination, many effective steps may be taken to correct behaviour, for example training, coaching, counselling, disciplinary action.

But what to do when behaviour is more subtle or unconscious? In this scenario, our attitudes and biases influence our behaviour so subtly that we don't even notice. The result is that they become part and parcel of our unconscious way of conducting ourselves. Unconscious stereotyping or bias is a major barrier to achieving true inclusion and diversity, because

we all have these biases; and

they are hidden

Vulnerable areas of your organisation

Unconscious bias risk pervades all of an organisation's operations, internal and with outside parties, because it is inbuilt in all people. Examples of typical areas of vulnerability are:

This is the most effective technique for testing for unconscious bias or implicit associations. The theory has been understood since the 19th century, when scientists proposed ways of assessing it based on how long it takes the brain to process decisions. Unfortunately, in those times the necessary split-second measurement technology was not available.

Now, for the first time, by combining those discoveries with available technology, aunique, reliable methodology has been developed specifically to measureunconscious bias.

This is a major advance. Now organisations can meaningfully address personal biases their people don't even know they have.

The Implicity Tool

Implicitly is the only IAT tool developed for commercial application and available off-the-shelf. It was developed over a period of some 8 years to ensure rigour and a high degree of reliability. The tool is provided by our strategic partners, Hogrefe, who are specialist psychometric publishers.

These tests work by individuals completing, online at their own desks, a series of simple sorting tasks involving pictures of different social groups and words. The words have negative or positive associations. The sorting tasks have to be completed as quickly and accurately as possible. Implicitly measures the fractional differences in time taken to sort the different images and wordsin different ways. These differences are enough to measure the potential for somebody to behave in a biased way.

Each test takes about 3 minutes. On completion a report is generated which presents the test score, details the likelihood of biased behaviours, and explains any implications.

Anonymous option

Testing can be anonymous, allowing whole teams, departments or organisations to be assessed for vulnerabilities as units, confidentially.

Contact Usfor a discussion about how unconscious bias management can help your organisation to